Car door



July 4, 1933. A. CAMPBELL 1,916,557

CAR DOOR Filed July 5, 1929 s sheets-sheet 1 fnl \ Zaag/Maz ARQ/LE CAM PBELL A. CAMPBELL July 4, 1933.

CAR DOOR Filed July 5, 1 929 rsheets-Sheet 2 July 4; 1933. I I A, CAMPBELL 1,916,557

CAR DOOR Filed July 5, 1929 5 sheets-sheet 3 Patented July 4, 1933 i UNITED dsTaT'l-:s

PATENT OFFICE ARGYLE CAIVIPBELL, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR-YTO.. ENTERPRISE RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS vCAR DOOR Application led July 5,

This invention relates *ao-improvements in Car doors. y

An object of my invention -is to provide an improved construction for car doors of the double sliding type, and kparticularly to provide a construction which Will afford a weatherproof joint at the-meeting edges of the doors. Y c

Another' object of my invention is to provide an improved door post arrangement for the auxiliary door of double door cars, such as will provide a strong and light construction.

Still another object of my invention is to provide means for spacing a grain door closure member away from the inner plane of the associated door, whereby door anchoring means may be disposed intermediate said member and the door body portion.

A further object of my invention is to provide a reinforcedy edge construction for the auxiliary door including la plurality of reinforcing sections secured in position along the door and having means providing inwardly offset sealingflanges, and additional means in l(he form or' abutment blocks secured along the forward edge of the door `in ihe space provided by the offset position of the sealing flanges, said abutment blocks being mounted at intervals and adapted to provide substantial striking members for cooperation with the main door, the latter being provided with a reinforcing section presenting a web of a rolled section for kcooperation with the abutment blocks, and including a sealing flange cooperating with the oii'set sealing flanges of the auxiliary door.

A'still further object of my invention is to provide a double door construction having adequate space atthe meeting edges of the doors to securely attach the door opening and closing fixtures, as well as the locking hasp and staple devices, and wherein walls to which said iiXtures and devicesy are attached are presented in angularly disposed planes.

My invention further resides in certain other features of construction and details of parts, such as will be fully pointed out here-- inafter.

1929. Serial No. 375,917.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a side elevational View of a portion of a car showing my improved door construction in connection therewith. Figure 2 is an enlarged broken side elevational view of the central portions of the doors shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a broken verticalsectional view taken through the doors on a line corresponding substan- `tially to the line 3-3 ofy Figure 2. Figure 4 is a broken, horizontal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, corresponding to line 4.-4 of Figure 1. Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken through the central `portion of the doors, said view corresponding to the line 5 5 of Figure 8. Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectionalviewtalien through the door post and on a line corresponding substantially to the line 6-6 of Figure 3. Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view through the door post, said view being taken on a line corresponding substantially to the line 7-7 of Figure 2. Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective View of the type of bracket employed in connection with the auxiliary door. And Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view through the door post, said vieW being taken on a line corresponding to that of Figure 4, but illustrating asomewha't different embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings, the car is shown as provided with an. enlarged door opening adapted to be closed by oppositely sliding doors, as indicated at A and B, respectively. The door A is in the nature of'a main door adapted to be used for normal loading requirements, While door B is in the nature of an auxiliary door and is adapted for use only when .a door opening of abnormal size is required. At the upper portion of the door opening, 10 indicates the usual top side plate, preferably of Z shape construction, 1.1-11 the vertical door posts of the car, 12 the lower sill of the car,L 13 the'car iloor and l the threshold plate.

In the embodiment shown, the doors are of the bottom'supported type, and for this purpose a supporting track is employed,

, said track preferably being supported from the side sill of the car by a series of supporting brackets 16, the doors being provided with supporting roller mechanisms C which rest upon the supporting track l5.

Adjacent the upper margins of the doors there is disposed the usual guiding track and weather guard 17, and adjacent the meeting edges of the doors there is disposed a weather shield 18 (Figure 2) adapted to cover the meeting edges of the doors.

The doors A and B are composed of metal, the main body portions being of relatively light gauge and corrugated for strengthening purposes only, each preferably consisting of upper, central and lower panels as indicated by 19, 2O and 21, respectively, for door A, and 22, 23 and 24, respectively. for door B, the paneling of the respective doors being disposed in substantially the same plane (see Figures 2 and 4).

The respective doors are of similar construction in so far as the upper horizontal, rear vertical, and lower horizontal margins are concerned, but differ in features of construction relating to the meeting edges of the doors. Each door includes a top Z bar 25, and at the rear vertical margin a Z bar 26 having the inner flange thereof modified to present a U shape 27 (Figure 4) adapted to engage in wedging relation with Vflange 28 extending from the associated door post structure l1. Said Z bars and 26 are respectively secured. to the door paneling by flanges 29 which overlie the metallic paneling.

The front vertical margin of door A includes Z bar member 30 having its web 31 extending transversely of the door and one of the flanges thereof, indicated at 32, overlying the body paneling of the door and secured thereto, the other flange 33 of the Z bar being spaced inwardly from the body portion of the door and projecting forwardly beyond the web 31 for cooperation with the auxiliary door B in a manner to be hereinafter described. rlhe outer vertical marginal reinforcement of the auxiliary door B includes inner and outer vertically extending Z shaped members, as indicated at 34 and 35, respectively, said inner member 34 approximating in size the Z bar member 30 on the companion door, and in like manner is disposed with its web 36 extending transversely of the door, lying, however, with its outer flange 37 engaging the inner face of the paneling, thus resulting in spacing its inner flange 38 inwardly beyond the inner flange 33 of the Z bar member 30 of the companion door. The inner flange 38 of the auxiliary door, when the respective doors A and B are in meeting relation, is adapted to overlap and seat rearwardly of the projecting door flange 33 on door A, the outer portion of flange 38 being flared as indicated at 39 to act as a guiding means.

The outer Z bar member is disposed in overlying relation with respect to inner member 34 with the web 40 engaging web 36 of the latter, and said webs are preferably united by rivets 41. The outer and inner flanges of the outer member 35, respectively indicated at 42 and 43 (Figure 5), overlie the respective outer and inner flanges 37 and 38 of the inner Z bar member 34, said flanges 38 and 43 being appreciably spaced to provide a groove for the accommodation of projecting flange 33 of door A when the doors A and B are in meeting relation, thereby providing a weatherproof joint at the meeting edges of the doors. Adjacent its outer end, flange 43 is flared outwardly as at 143, in a direction opposite to fla-re 39, for the purpose of facilitating cooperating engagement between the overlapping portions of the respective doors. The construction of inner and outer Z bar members provides for sai'dwiching the body paneling between flanges 37 and 42 of the respective Z bar members.

The bottom of each door is formed of generally tubular construction for the purpose of strengthening the door (Figure 3). In providing the tubular formation, the lower edge of the lower door panel of each door is deflected inwardly and downwardly, as indicated at 44, and cooperating with the said panel is a facing plate 45 offset inwardly and secured to said panel by two rows of rivets as indicated at 46 and 47, respectively.

There are preferably two roller mechanisms C per door, each of said mechanisms including a housing 48 having an axle 49 fixedly carried thereby and upon which a roller 50 is rotatably mounted.

The auxiliary door B on the inner side thereof adjacent its marginal edge is provided with a mailing block 51 (Figures 3, and 4 to 7 inclusive) spaced from the inner face of the door and adapted to present means to which a temporary grain door closure (not shown) may be secured, said nailing block being supported from a series of spaced brackets, as indicated at 52, 53, 54 and 55. The brackets 53 are identical, each comprising generally a cup-shaped flanged member, as best shown in Figure 8, the walls and flanges of which are disposed to cooperate with related parts, andthe brackets 52, 54 and 55 also are generally similar to each other and to the brackets 53, slight modifications being necessary due to location and use, all as hereinafter referred to. Preferably interposed between these brackets and nailing block 51 is an angle-shaped member 56 which extends from the lowermost to the uppermost bracket and is secured thereto and to the intermediate brackets, thereby cooperating with the marginal Z shaped members and the body portion of the door to provide a truss construction for the purpose of resisting bending of the door. The angle-shaped llo i member 56 is disposed with one of its fianges member.

57 extending transversely ofthe door and the adjacent flange 58 extending parallel to the door but spaced atan appreciable distance from the inner face vof the door, said flanges 57 and 58 being respectively secured to flanges 59 and 60 which are formed integrally with the brackets. TheI nailing block 5l is boltedto the flanges 60 of all of the brackets and also to flange 58 of the angle The various brackets are formed with projections 6l which act as braces to support theforwardly projecting flange 38 of the Z bar member 34. A lip 62 is formed integrally with ends of the brackets and projects rearwardly of the flange 58 for the purpose of centering the nailing block 5l against displacement. Y

The doors are further braced 'on the inner sides thereof by diagonally extending channel shaped braces 63 (Figures 1 and 8) which extend from the lower tubular section of each door to the respective front and rear `vertical marginal elements, said braces having flanges adjacentv their ends riveted to the marginal elements and adjacent portions of the lower tubular formation, and also having side flanges riveted to the body paneling intermediate-the corrugations, The diagonal brace 68 which extends to the outer marginal reinforcement of the auxiliary door, extends across the plane ofthe transversely extending flange 57 of the angle member 56 and between the spaced chords ofthe truss formation as defined by the main bodj7 paneling of the doorin combination, with its marginal reinforcements 34 V and 35 as one of the chords of the truss formation, and the vertical angle member 56 and its associated Wooden block 5l as the other chord of the truss formation, it being understood that the transverse flange 57 is spaced inwardly from the inner plane of the door to accommodate the related end of the diagonal membei' r therebetween.

VRotata-bly and slidably mounted between the chord members of the truss as above defined, are upper and lower door anchoring bolt members 64 and 65 (Figures 8, and'4 to 7, inclusive) adapted to cooperate with socket members 66 and 67 for the purpose of locking the auxiliary door relatively to the' car structure. The upper bolt member is mounted in adjacent brackets 52, 53 and 54, each ofsaid brackets being provided with a circular hole 68 within which the bolt extends.V The bracket 52 is'located adjacent the top of the door and bracket 54 adjacent the lower portion of the upper sliding bolt l 64,'the latter bracket being provided with a ledge portion" 69 adapted to cooperate with a laterally` extending head 70 on the bolt for the Vpurpose of maintaining the saine in projected locking position.

i The head-70 ofthe bolt, when the latter is erative locking position, a removable pin 72. (Figure 6) is provided for placement in the path of the bolt head.v An auxiliary shelf 73 is provided immediately below the ledge portion 69 for the purpose of supporting the sliding bolt when in inoperative position.

The lover bolt member is mounted in the bracket 55, the latter being located adjacent the lower edge of the door and disposed in overlying relation with the inwardly offset facing plate 45 of the lower tubularformation, it being understood that the `tubular formation extends into the plane of the angle member 56 and connects with the overlying flanges-ofthe inner and outer Z bar marginal members as vindicated at 74 (Figures 1 and 4). The member 55 in effect provides a finished and vvery rigid construction for the lower outer corner of the auxiliary door as it is secured to both the facing plate 45 and the overlying flanges of the respective marginal members 34 and 35 and also secured to both of the flanges 57 and 58 of the ineinbei 56.' The bracket 55 is formed with a laterally extending projection 75 adapted to engage with laterally extending head 76 of the bolt member 65 (Figure 4) to maintain rthe same in inoperative posit-ion. Vhen the locking bolt is in operative locking position, the laterally disposed head is extended into vthe ico plane of both the flange 58 and nailing block 5l which are cut away Vas indicated fat 77.

' The strengthening indentations in the body paneling include horizontal corrugations 78 which extend clear across the door and reinforce the door intermediate the overlying vertical margins of the verticalv inarginal members. The horizontal reinforcements are divided at a certain point of the door B for the reception of a cardboard indicated conventionally at 79 and the door is reinforced across the plane of said board by achannel shaped member 8O disposed on the inner side of the door. The corrugationsv are formed with portions offset from'the main body of the plate to form flat crest and valley designed by their extended width to present increased strength at a point considerably to one side of the main plane of the door. The bracket members 52, 53, 54 and 55 extend from the outer vertical marginal members m un into that part of the body portion of the door having the corrugations and are secured thereto by rivets as indicated at 830, thus effecting continuity of reinforcement from the corrugations to the post member.

It will thus be appreciated that by incorporating a trussed post arrangement, whereby the lower tubular construction andI diagonal braces are extended between the spaced chord members of the truss, a construction of great strength is obtained, inasmuch as bending along vertical and horizontal lines is prevented, and bending of the door, such as would permit of rotation of the post around a vertical axis, is guarded against by extending the post brackets into the plane of the corrugations.

The construction at the meeting edges of the doors includes a series of abutment members 83, 84, 85 and 86, disposed at intervals along the exterior vertical margin of the auxiliary door adapted to cooperate with the main door to space the transverse walls of the respective doors when said doors are in meeting relation and to form abutting means to receive the impact of the doors. The abutment members include angularly related walls 87 and 88 adapted to respectively overlie the respective walls and 42 of the marginal member 34. The abutment member 84 incorporates a plurality of integral fulcrum spaced walls 184 adapted to cooperate through a removable bar 89 with a movable slotted link member 90 pivoted on the main door, for the purpose of moving the door to final closed position or initiating opening movement. Member 85 includes an integral staple 91 and carries a locking and sealing pin 92 adapted to cooperate with hasp 93 carried by the companion door, for the purpose of locking and sealing the doors in closed position. The member 86 at the lower edgev of the dooris provided, in addition to its abutting face, with a projecting horizontal flange 94 adapted to extend beneath the companion door to more completely assure a weatherproof joint at the lower edge of the door.

While I haveV shown the angle member 56 disposed with the transverse flange 57 spaced an appreciable distance from the outer vertical margin of the door, it will be understood that the angle member may be disposed with the transverse flange disposed on the oppoi site side of the brackets as indicated in Figure 9. In this embodiment of the invention, that portion of the construction modified includes the brackets 110, the angle member 111 having transversely extending flange 112 and outwardly spaced flange 113. Locking bolt mechanism is indicated at 114, said locking bolt having laterally extending head 115 disposed inwardly of the door, the bolt being mounted between the inner face of the door and the nailing block.

While I have herein shown and described what I consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a sliding car door of the character described, the combination with a body portion including metallic paneling and a plurality of vertical marginal members respectively disposed on the inner and outer sides of said paneling and secured thereto; of an independent vertical beam element positioned inwardly away from said marginal members; and bracket means interposed between and secured to said body portion of the door and the beam element, whereby said body portion of the door and the beam element cooperate to form a trussed construction adapted to resist bending of the door. V

2. In a railway car door having a body portion-formed of'sheet metal and having adjacent its front edge a vertical member of Z shape disposed with theweb thereof extended transversely of the door, and one flange overlying the sheet metal portion of the door, and having the other flange projecting forwardly beyond the web of the Z bar; bracket means disposed between the said body portion and the transverse web of the Z bar, said bracket means having elements for bracing the forwardly projecting flange of the Z shaped member; and a nailing block carried by said bracket means.

3. In a car door of the character described, the combination with a body portion including metal paneling and a plurality of marginal members respectively secured to the inner and outer faces of said body portion adjacent the outer edge thereof; of a series of brackets connected to the body portion of the door, said brackets being spaced vertically from each other; an angle shaped member extending across the plane of said brackets and secured thereto; and nailing block carried by said angle shaped member, said angle shaped member and block cooperating with the body portion of the door and the marginal members to provide a trussed construction adapted to brace the door against bending.

4. In a railway car, the combination with a main sliding door and an auxiliary sliding door including body paneling; of independent inner and outer vertical marginal members at the free edge of the auxiliary door and on the inner and outer sides of the paneling respectively, said members presenting forwardly projecting flanges within the confines of the depth of the door spaced from each other to provide a marginal groove adapted to receive the main door when said doors are in meeting relation.

5. In a door, the combination with Va body portion formed of sheet metal; of a Z barr stiffening member adjacent the outer edge of the door, said member having a web portion extending transversely inwardly of the door and a flange overlying the body portion and secured thereto, andhaving the other flange of said Z bar projecting forwardly beyond the web; and a second Z shaped member overlying the first named Z bar and having one of its flangessecured to the overlying flange of the first Z bar and to the sheet metal body portion of the door, said second Z bar having the other flange disposed in parallelism and spaced from the projecting flange ofk the first Z bar, thereby presenting a groove adapted to cooperate with a second door for the purpose of forming a weatherproof oint.

6. In a railway car, the combination with a main sliding door and an auxiliary sliding door, said doors being provided with sheet metal body portions disposed in substantially the same plane, each of said doors having its vertical meeting margin formed of a Z bar section having the web thereof extending transversely of the door and one flange projecting forwardly thereof, the Z bar on one door having its remaining flange disposed on the outer face lof the sheet metal paneling of its related door and the Z bar on the other of said doors having its remaining flange arranged on the inner face of the paneling, whereby the Z bars of the respective doors have their flanges disposed in different vertical planes with projecting flanges adapted l to meetin overlapping relation lwhen the composed of two Z shaped sections disposedV with their webs extending transversely of the door, one of said sections having'a flange at the outer side of said door overlying the paneling and the other of said sections having a flange at the inner side of the door overlying the paneling, said sections and paneling being riveted together, said sections having their remaining flanges spaced from each other and together presenting a groove adapted to receive projecting means carried by the main door.

8. In a railway car, in combination, main and auxiliary sliding doors adapted to meet in abutting relation, said doors having the main body portion thereof composed ofmetallic paneling, said doors having their meeting marginal edges defined by members of Z section, each of said members having one flange overlying the paneling of its related door and having the otherflange spaced inwardly away from the paneling and projecting forwardly of the Z bar web, the projecting flange of the main door Z member being disposed in a plane to one side, and adapted to seat rearwardly, of the projecting flange of the auxiliary door Z member; and a second Z shaped member disposed on the inner face,

of the auxiliary door and adapted to cooperate with the outer Z shaped member of said auxiliary door to form a groove within which the flange of the companion door is adapted to seat.

9; In a car door ofthe character described, yhe combination with a metallic body portion including bracing indentations; of a marginal reinforcing member having a flange overlying the body portion and secured thereto, said overlying flange being disposed adjacent the ends of the indentations; bracket means carried byf the door on the inner face thereof, said bracket means extending across the plane of the indentations and the overlying flange and effecting continuity of reinforcement between said indentations and said member; and means carried by said bracket means adapted to receive a removable grain closure. l

10. In a sliding car door of the character described, the combination with a body portion including anvertical marginal reinforcement at the outer edge thereof; of a trussed construction including a member separate from and spaced away from the inner face,

of the door; bracket members between and support-ing said member and body portion in said spaced relation; and bracing mem- Vbersconnected to the door body portion on the inner side of the door, said bracing being disposed intermediate said body portion and spacedmemberfor the purpose of effecting a braced construction to prevent bending of the door on various cross lines.

11. In a car door of the character described, the combination with a body portion including horizontal corrugations, marginal -reinforcing members of appreciable depth, diagonally extending braces disposed in the space defined by the depth of the marginal members and extending across the plane of said corrugations and connecting with said vertical marginal members; brackets extending from said marginal member; and an inwardly spaced beam member carried by said brackets and cooperating with the body portion on the door and the diagonal members to provide a trussed construction adapted to brace the door against bending on various cross lines.

12. In a car door of the character ldescribed, the combination with a body portion including horizontally extending corrugations; of a vertical marginal reinforcing member for the outer edge of the door, said member being of appreciable depth; diagonally extending braces disposed in the space defined by the depth of the outer vertical marginal member and extending across the plane of said corrugations and connecting with said vertical marginal member; brackets extending inwardly `from said marginal member and the body portion of the door; and a member spaced inwardly from the face of the door and carried by said brackets and cooperating with the body portion on the door and the diagonal members to provide a trussed construction adapted to brace the door on various cross lines.

13. In a railway car, the combination with a main sliding doo-r and an auxiliary door, said doors being provided with metallic body portions; of transverse wall portions adjacent the outer edges of the doors; a flange portion spaced inwardly from said body portion on each door and projecting beyond the transverse wall portions, said flange portions on the respective doors being adapted to overlap when the doors are in closed position, said doors when in closed position having their transverse walls sepa.- rated by an intervening space; and means carried by the respective doors to maintain the doors in closed position, said means including a hasp carried by one of the doors and a bracket carried by the other door, said bracket having a staple carried thereby adapted to cooperate with the staple and a sealing pin cooperable with the staple to maintain the hasp in locked position, said bracket having an integral portion extending into the space between the doors to provide an abutment for the other door.

14. In a sliding door of the character described, the combination with a body por- A ber extending across the plane of said brackets and secured thereto, said member being spaced beyond the inner face of the door and inwardly from the marginal members; and a plurality of sliding locking bolts interposed between said body portion of the door and the vertically disposed spaced beam member, said body portion of the door and the spaced member cooperating toprovide a trussed construction adapted to resist bending of the door.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my naine .this 29th day of June 1929.

ARGYLE CAMPBELL. 

